Self-winding watch



July 14, 1931; REINER 1,814,187

- SELF WINDING WATCH Filed Feb. .8. 19 29 ml W n7 ATTORN S.

"mounted. on the shaft 12f Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAX REINER, OF BRONX, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO PER- PETUAL SELF WINDING WATCH COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SELF-WINDING WATCH Application filed February 8, 1929. Serial No. 338,395.

, tion of the watch, usually effected by movement of the wrist of the wearer of the watch.

There is also provided a wheel to which unidirectional rotation is imparted by the pendulum, this wheel being connected to the winding train of the watch. The pendulum comprises an oscillatory arm having a weight pivoted to its free end. Positive means are provided to limit in one direction the swing of the weight about its pivot and yieldable or resilient means are provided for limiting the swing of the weight in the other direction. Thus, when the main spring approaches its winding limit, the arm of the pendulum remains stationary, while the weight oscillates about its Own pivot, thus preventing over-winding of the watch. Means are provided for varying the tension applied to the resilient means so that the extent to which the main. spring is wound may be varied, as desired.

Other objects, nov l features and advanta ges of this invention will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a rear view of a watch movement embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and v Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of tie pendulum.

The back plate of a watch movement supports a bracket 11 and a shaft 12 has its ends journaled in the plate 10 and the bracket 11. Au arm 13 and a gear wheel 14 are Both. the arm 13 and the gear wheel 14 may be rotatably mounted on the shaft or one may be rotatably mounted on the shaft and the other fixed to the shaft. A pawl 15 is carried by the arm 18 and engages with the teeth of the wheel 14 so that oscillation of the arm 13 effects uni-directional rotation of the wheel 14. The wheel 14 is connected through a suitable winding train with the main spring ratchet 16, so that rotation of the wheel 14 is effective to wind the main spring. A pawl 17 prevents backward rotation of the gear wheel 14. A weight 18 is supported from the arm 13 by means of plates 19 extending upwardly from the weight and receiving a pivotpin 20 extending through the lower end of the arm 13. The plates 19 extend upwardly beyond the pivot pin 20 into a cut-out on the arm 13 thereby forming a positive stop to limit in one direction the swing of the weight about its pivot 20. Between the plates 19 is supported a disk 21 having a series of sockets 22 on its periphery. A leaf spring 23 is attached to the arm 13- by a screw 24 and has its free end resting in the exposed socket 22 of the disk 21. This spring acts as a yielding stop to limit in the other direction the swing ing movement of the weight 18. The disk 22 is eccentrically mounted so that by rotating the same, the tension on the spring 23 may be varied. A guide 25 may be provided for the weight 18 to slide along as the pendulum 13 is oscillated, thus relieving the shaft 12 of strain when the watch is held in horizontal position. Pins or other suitable stops 26 are provided to limit the swinging motion of the pendulum. The guide and stops are not essential, but may be desirable for the proper functioning of the winding mechanism.

lVhen the watch is being worn, the arm 13 and weight 18 constitute a pendulum which swings back and forth as the watch is moved. Uni-directional rotation is imparted to the gear wheel 14 and through the winding train to the main spring, whereby the latter is wound. Overwinding of the main spring is prevented by virtue of the fact that the weight 18 is pivoted to the end of the arm 13. Thus, when the main spring is nearly wound, its resistance'to winding becomes superior'to the tension of the spring 23, whereupon the weight 18 swings about its own pivot without causing oscillation of the arm 13. In this way, overwinding is prevented. This pendulum arrangement makes it possible to locate the axis of the pendulum at points other than the center of the watch, thereby obtaining for the pendulum the maximum leverage and also makes possible the use of fewer gear-s in the Winding train. Although the pendulum is shown as being mounted exterior of the movement, it may be mounted in the plane of the movement as well as at either side thereof.

It is, of course, understood that various structural changes may be made in the device above described, without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim;

1. In a self-winding watch, a two-part jointed pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said pendulum, a winding train operated by said wheel, and yielda-ble means carried by one part and engaging the other part for normally preventing flexion of said pendulum.

2. In a self-winding watch, a two-part jointed pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said pendulum, a winding train operated by said wheel, and resilient means carried by one part and engaging the other part normally to prevent fiexion of said pendulum.

3. In a self-winding watch, a two-part jointed pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said pendulum, a winding train operated by said wheel, resilient means carried by one part and engaging the other part normally to prevent flexion of said pendulum, and means for varying the tensionof said resilient means.

4. In a self'winding watch, a pivoted arm, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional r0 tation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end of said arm, and yieldable means normally preventing oscillation of said weight about its pivot.

5,. In a self-winding watch, a pivoted arm, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end-of said arm, yieldable means normally preventing oscillation of said weight about its pivot, and means for varying the strength of said yieldable means.

:6. In aself-winding watch, a pivoted arm, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional-rotation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end of said arm, and re-' silient means tending to prevent oscillation of said weight about its pivot.

:7. In a self-winding watch, a pivoted arm,

a wheel, means to impart uni-directional r0- tation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end of said arm, resilient means tending to prevent oscillation of said weight about its pivot, and means for varying the tension of said resilient means.

8. In a self-winding watch, a pivoted arm, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end of said arm, positive means to limit in one direction the swing of said weight about its pivot, and yieldable means tending to limit the swing of said weight in the opposite direction.

9. In a self-winding watch, a pivoted arm, a'wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said arm, a weight pivoted to the free end of said arm, positive means to limit inone direction :the swing of said weight about its pivot, and resilient means tending to limit the swinging .of said weight in the opposite direction.

10. In a self-winding watch,a pivoted arm, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation to said wheel from said arm, aweight pivoted to the free end of said arm, positive means to limit in one direction the swing of said weight about its pivot, resilient means tending to limit the swinging of said :weight in the opposite direction, and means for varying the tension of said resilient means.

11. In a self-winding watch, a two-part jointed pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation from said pendulum to said wheel, a winding train operated by said wheel, and means carried by and tending to prevent relative movement of the pendulum parts.

12. In a self-winding watch, a two-part pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation from said pendulum to said wheel, a winding train operated by said wheel, and means carried by and tending to prevent relative movement of the pendulum parts.

13. In a self-winding watch, a two-part pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional. rotation from said pendulum to said wheel, a winding train operated by said wheel, and resilient means-carried by one part and engaging the other part normally .to prevent relative movement thereof.

14. In a self-winding watch, a two-part pendulum, a wheel, means to impart uni-directional rotation from said pendulum to said wheel, a winding train operated by said wheel, resilient meanscarried by one part and engaging the other part normally to prevent relative movement thereof, and means for varying the tension-of said resilient means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 'name to this specification.

MAX REINEB. 

